To help you prepare for the coming week, two zingers from the archive of The
Gurgling Cod:

"Thanksgiving is to cooking
what New Years Eve is to going out and getting drunk -- a time when amateurs
feel the need to compete with experienced pros. As a result, it seems to me
that Thanksgiving offers a window into the way many Americans feel about cooking
in general -- a tedious chore, fraught with peril."

Even if you just know you could
take Alton Brown, don't go all Martin Luther on Thanksgiving dinner. There are
364 days a year to innovate, so let Gramma put Bacos in the salad if that's
the way Gramma rolls. Order a homeshchooled suckling pig from Niman Ranch to
make next week for your friends if it makes you feel better. More than any other
meal Thursday is about the asses in the seats, and not the dishes on the table.
Enjoy your meal, and travel in a safe manner.